William w



(No Model.)

W. W. NORMAN. EXTENSION LADDER.

No. 463,868. Patented Nov. 24, 1891.

. [WEI/V702 WITNESSES PATENT Fries.

IVILLIAM IV. NORMAN, OF ALLENVILLE, MISSOURI.

EXTENSION-LADDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 463,868, datedNovember 24, 1891.

Application filed April 17, 1891.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. NORMAN, a cltizen of the United States,and a resident of Allenville, in the county of Cape Girardeau.

inakeand use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is aperspective view of my improved extension-ladder, showing the samein itsextended position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through apart of one side of the ladder, showing both the stationary and thesliding stile in their interlocked position and the spring-catch bywhich thetwo are locked together. Fig. 3 is a similar viewof the sameparts, but showing the spring catch in its disengaged or unlockedposition. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the spring-catch for interlockingthe stationary and the sliding sides or stiles removed from the ladder,and Fig. 5 shows the ladder in side elevation as it appears when folded.

Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures.

This invention relates to extensible stepladders; and it consists incertain improvements'upon the ladder described and claimed in LettersPatent of the United States No. 287,793, bearing date of November 6,1883, which said improvements will be hereinafter more fully describedand claimed.

Reference being had to the accompanying drawings, the letters A and Bdesignate, respectively, the front and back sides or stiles of the lowersection of the ladder, and O and,

D the corresponding sides of the upper or sliding section. The latterare connected at top by the jointed top piece or top step E, consistingof two sections hinged together in the middle, as shown at e.

The parallel front sides A A of the lower section are connected bythe'steps F, and also by parallel braces G, set back of and parallel tothe steps, thus forming ways or guides g for the front stiles O of theextensible section to slide in. Similarly the back part B of the SerialNo. 389,361. (No mo'lel.)

lower section has, in addition to the usual diagonal braces l-I,horizontal and parallel braces or crosspieces I) b, forming ways orguides c for the back D of the extensible section. The lower ends of thesliding parallel back stiles D D are also connected by parallel bracesdd, the ends of which overlap the stiles B B, between which said stilesD slide, and thus serve as additional guides for the two back sections Band D when the ladder is extended.

At a suitable distance apart the sliding front sides or stiles O'aremortised or recessed, as shown at I, the face of each recess beingcovered with a circular metallic disk or washer J fastened by screws ornails j j and having a central square aperture opening up into therecess. The stationary lower front sides A have corresponding holesboredthroughtrausversely, as shown at K, covered withsimilar circular washerswith square central apertures. Within each of the apertures K is locateda spring-catch L, the construction and operation of which will bereadily understood by reference to the enlarged detail view, Fig. 4,from which it will be seen that this catch consists of a flat piece ofsteel L bent at its free upper end to form an elongated loop Z, thelower arm Z of which is fastened in the bottom of the recess K, whileits other end is bent to form a short loop or bail on, which projectsoutwardly through the square aperture in the washer-plate. \Vhen thisspring-catch is in the position shown in Fig. 3-t'. e., with the freeend of this outer loop on abutting against the washer-plate below theaperture-the inner end of spring-loop Z will be withdrawn fromengagement with its registering recess I in the inner sliding stile C,so that the extensiblesect-ion is free to be moved upward or downward;but if this catch or loop on is released from bearing against the platethe spring-catch will occupy the position shown in Fig. 2, in which theinner end of loop I will engage its registering mortise or recess I inthe sliding part 0, and thus lock the two sides A and 0 together, eitherin their folded or extended position, as the case may be. This device ismuch less complicated than the spring-catch shown in Patent No. 287,793,is less expensive, and is easily manipulated.

\Vhen the'ladder is in use, its front and back sides are kept the properdistance apart by means of flat metallic brace-rods M, hinged loosely atone end upon staples N and having apertures at their free ends, so thatthey may be hooked upon the studs 0. Vhen the ladder is folded together,these brace-rods will lie up fiat against the steps, so as not to be inthe Way.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States 1. The combination of the frontsections A and 0, having, respectively, the spring-recesses K andregistering inortises I; spring catches or latches L, constructed asdescribed, rear sections B and D, loosely-hinged brace- \VILLIAM V.NORMAN.

Witnesses:

STEPHEN A. Townes, MUNROE I). NEAL.

